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Waves of Acceptance

I went to the ocean to make peace with my past and find the courage to forgive and let live. I’ve been here before. Not this beach and not this town, but the place of desire to release what weighs me down. Â My wish then was for a world with less pain. Today at this beach, my wish was the same.

I sat on the sand and watched curiously as a wanna-be fisherman took an odd-looking net and expectantly placed it in the water where the wave breaks on the shore. As the wave retreated, he shook sand from the basket and collected small fish in a bucket.

Later, he guided a group of tourists who had gathered to fish from the shore. He baited their hooks; they tossed their lines into the water, and awkwardly waited for the sea to respond. Some of them were lucky; several walked away with only their poles. I sensed their disappointment with the guide and the sea.

Along the shoreline, a tiny sandpiper seems to be dancing with the waves. She stands on the shore and waits for the waves to reach the beach. As they roll in, her little legs race to the edge, staying just inches ahead. As the waves roll out, she scurries behind and chases them, watching and waiting for the next wave to play.

On the beach, couples are collecting shells and families are building castles in the sand. Â College students toss a Frisbee while surfers prepare their boards and suits. Overhead, seagulls are chatting and making themselves known. Â On the horizon where the water meets the heavens, pelicans dive to fill their beaks with fresh fish.

I walk to the water and my senses come alive. Â The sun is warm on my face as I breathe in the fresh ocean air. I relax to the constant rhythm of the waves and I feel the power of the force that causes the ocean to move. My mind is suddenly at ease.

The water washes over my feet and I feel grounded and cleansed. Â As it laps at my ankles, I feel my anger and resentment being washed away. Â As the waves rush over my calves, I choose to forgive and am filled with gratitude for my path.

I bend to pick up a shell to toss what I want to surrender and spy a tiny white feather stuck in the sand. As I grab it, the wind catches and blows it out to sea. Â Given what I wanted, the feather was more fitting as a symbol of release. I chuckle with appreciation for the wisdom of the universe’s ways.

My thoughts take me back to the last time I stood in this space and I realize our perspectives can be powerful or they can drive us to hide. We choose to be disappointed like the fisherman wishing for more; or we can choose to give thanks for the experience at the shore. Â We can be like the guide and expectantly place our nets, or play on the beach and build castles in the sand. Â We can dance with the water or dive from the air; the choices are ours and we get to decide.

I exit the beach and the universe again speaks. It grants me a gesture it has listened to my pleas. Â The gift is a private one, it’s between the water and me, but I knew that I mattered and all will be.

May 2011 bring you joy and powerful perspectives. Â I’m grateful for you.

Just the other day I found my original fishing rod that I had lost for decades. I suppose I got to preoccupied as the years went by to take the time to relax by the river and remember those early evenings with granddad. I did not understand it then but, there was a lot of wisdom shared in those fishing trips.

Water, Waves, Feathers & Wind – the power of choice and knowing you have the power to choose. Your journey to the beach has resulted in a story inviting us to consider the choices we can make. Beautifully written…thank you and the very best to you in 2011!

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